Cover image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Connections awestruck after Ka Ying Rising demolition
Sent out as a hot favourite, thanks to his last start G1 Hong Kong Sprint win in the track record time of 1:07.43s, Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) put on a phenomenal display of sustained speed to win the G1 Centenary Sprint in a new track record time of 1:07.20s.
Ridden by Zac Purton from the outside barrier, they controlled the race from the front and put on the afterburners to dash clear and win by 3.25l from Helios Express (Toronado {Ire}) and Howdeepisyourlove (Deep Field).
“He did surprise Zac when he jumped well and then went to the lead – to lead those fast horses so easily just shows his versatility. He can take a sit, or he just leads. He’s certainly the best sprinter I’ve had anything to do with and probably the best horse,” David Hayes told racingnews.hkjc.com.
“He’s quite freakish what he does. The last 100 metres today, Zac switched the engine off, so in the two track records he’s broken, he’s actually eased him down the last 100 metres or 80 metres. He just doesn’t lose – and I know he lost twice when he was immature, but now he’s mature, he’s just got that ability to win. He’s got amazing cruising speed and he’ll quicken off it, which is very hard to compete against.”
“He’s (Ka Ying Rising) quite freakish what he does. The last 100 metres today, Zac switched the engine off, so in the two track records he’s broken, he’s actually eased him down the last 100 metres or 80 metres. He just doesn’t lose and I know he lost twice when he was immature, but now he’s mature, he’s just got that ability to win.” - David Hayes
Ka Ying Rising, purchased by Lindsay Park privately out of New Zealand after an unofficial jumpout, had one trial in Australia at Moe, which he won before heading up to Hong Kong. He won on debut in December 2023, and then was second twice to the same horse, Wunderbar (Rich Enuff), before putting together his current nine-race unbeaten streak. His ten wins, two at Group 1 level, have earned his connections over HK$38.4 million (AU$7.9 million).
TTR investigated Ka Ying Rising’s background after his G1 Hong Kong Sprint win and the article includes rare footage of his Kiwi jumpout win:
The G1 Centenary Sprint Cup is the first leg of the Hong Kong Speed Series, and Hayes confirmed Ka Ying Rising would chase the HK$5 million (AU$1 million) bonus if he can add the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup over 1400 metres on February 23 and the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize over 1200 metres on April 27. From there, a trip to Australia for The Everest beckons.
Zac Purton aboard Ka Ying Rising (NZ) | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
“It’s the richest turf race in the world, it’s at his distance, so it’s getting more realistic every month we go on. We’ll really start thinking about a pathway towards it after the international race here in April and then after that, he’ll probably just be set for the big sprint,” Hayes said.
Jockey Zac Purton rode a double, the other win on David Hall trained Mr Energia (NZ) (Swiss Ace), to put him on 1812 Hong Kong wins, just one away from equalling Douglas Whyte’s all time record.
One of 14 stakes winners for Shamexpress (NZ), Ka Ying Rising is his second Group 1 winner. His dam Missy Moo (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) won five races and was fourth in the G3 Manawatu Breeders. She was purchased by the Griffin Family Trust for just $500 at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Sale. Dam of only two foals before she was claimed by arthritis, Missy Moo descends from the family of Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars).
Voyage Bubble on top again
Ricky Yiu trained Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) made it two G1 Stewards’ Cup in as many years, while also making it three wins on the trot for this season. A last start winner of the G1 Hong Kong Mile at December’s international meeting, Voyage Bubble cemented his position as the best miler in the region with a 2l win over Galaxy Patch (Wandjina) and Red Lion (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}).
“I’m going to watch the replay a few times, that was a good race to watch. He seems to do his job a little bit easier every time and you can see he’s improving still with every race. He’s just a really talented horse and he’s very straightforward to ride,” Yiu told racingnews.hkjc.com.
The Stewards’ Cup is the first leg of the Triple Crown which carries a HK$10 million (AU$2 million) bonus for any horse who can also win the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup over 2000 metres on February 23 and the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup over 2400 metres on May 25. It has only been won once in Hong Kong history by River Verdon (Ire) (Be My Native {USA}) in the 1993/94 season (when the Stewards Cup was in November).
“We’re going to give the Triple Crown a crack. Besides his Derby win, he was second to a very good horse (Romantic Warrior) in the Gold Cup last year. That’s a very good indication that he can go up to that distance no problem. We’ll see a lot more from the second leg to see if he’ll be able to get the 2400 (metres). Over the 2400 there could be some overseas horses as well.”
Voyage Bubble became the fourth horse to claim consecutive G1 Stewards’ Cups, after Always Plentiful (GB) (Music Boy {GB}) in 1985 and 1986, Electronic Unicorn (USA) (Housebuster {USA}) in 2002 and 2003, and Good Ba Ba (USA) (Lear Fan {USA}) in 2008 and 2009.
Voyage Bubble | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Purchased by his trainer for $380,000 from Torryburn Stud’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft, Voyage Bubble now has nine wins and nine placings from 23 starts with earnings over HK$77 million (AU$15.9 million).
The sixth foal for Raheights (Rahy {USA}) who won four races including two in Sydney, Voyage Bubble is a half-brother to G3 PJ Bell S. winner Diddums (Snitzel) and Listed Qld Tatt's RC Tattersall's Mile placed Brettan (Commands). Raheights is a half-sister to Listed winner Moulin Lady (Reset) and Bannock (Ire) (Bertolini {USA}). She has four years off breeding from 2020 to last season, and has a 2024 filly by Home Affairs.
Ridden by James McDonald, Voyage Bubble was part of the treble for the acclaimed jockey, who also won on Danny Shum-trained Blazing Wind (Deep Field) and John Size trained Bundle Award (Shamus Award).
Hong Kong Derby planned for Noisy Boy
Dreams of another Hong Kong Derby are alive for trainer Dennis Yip after 4-year-old gelding Noisy Boy (Real Steel {Jpn}) won at Sha Tin on Sunday. Yip won the Derby last year with Massive Sovereign (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}). “He’s a very nice horse and he has upside. When the horse got to Hong Kong I just wanted to make him stronger,” Yip told scmp.com.
“Tomorrow he will be in the first entries for the Derby.” Noisy Boy will likely head to the Classic Cup next, before the Derby on March 23.
A winner at his third start in Sydney, Noisy Boy ran second in the G2 Tulloch S. before an eighth in Riff Rocket (American Pharoah {USA})’s G1 Australian Derby. He had ten starts in Australia, before heading to Hong Kong where he’s had four starts, winning his last two in succession.
Sold by Arrowfield Stud at the Inglis Digital June sale in 2022 for $3500 to Dean Richards, he now has earnings over $1 million across both jurisdictions. Real Steel (Jpn) shuttled to Australia for one season, with 51 foals, and all his four stakes winners to date have been born in Japan, led by Group 1 winner and globetrotter Forever Young (Jpn).
Noisy Boy is the fourth foal and second winner for Northern Model (Northern Meteor) who won twice and ran fourth in the Listed William Crockett S. She is a half-sister to the dams of Group 2 winner Imelda Mary (NZ) (Ferlax {NZ}) and Group 1 placed Glittering Girl (Saf) (Rafeef), while her dam Modellista (Redoute’s Choice) is a full sister to Group 1 winner Fashions Afield.
